one day I’ll know what this is all about . . .

Austerity Spaghetti

Yesterday’s austerity meal was caused more by poverty of the pantry, rather than of the purse. This week’s snowfall, while not of Scott of the Antarctic proportions has been enough to forestall my weekly visit to the supermarket, and I’m feeling too lazy to walk to the shops; I already fell down this morning on the ice and where’s the fun in that?

So, for supper yesterday I had to resort to the contents of the pantry – at least I could find the contents (did I mention that I have a beautifully tidy and well-ordered pantry?) and my trusty Sainsburys vegetarian wholefoods cookbook – the first recipe book of my own I ever owned and which saw me safely through university in the days when being a vegetarian involved a great deal of wholegrain and lentil consumption. I may be wrong about the name, it was something like that, but it’s been a long time since I saw it although I’m sure it’s still here somewhere, doubtless under a pile of stuff (did I mention that the tidiness and order have not magically spread from the pantry? – I live in hope). So here is my vaguely remembered take on their wholemeal spaghetti bake (and miraculously not a lentil in sight – if the snow doesn’t stop, we’ll be eating them tonight).

Spaghetti for four people (the weight you want depends upon whether you use wholemeal or ordinary, and how much your family eat, but there’s always guidance on the packet.

Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water, and while it’s cooking, put a little oil in a frying pan and add in

2 sliced onions (you may only want one but I really like onions),

1 finely sliced leek (if you’ve got one, not essential if you don’t)

40z finely sliced mushrooms (or you could rehydrate some dried ones)

sauté these gently until soft, and add in

a tin of chopped tomatoes

1 apple, grated

a pinch or two of dried sage

and 2 oz of grated mature cheddar cheese

Drain the spaghetti, mix it up with the other stuff, and put it into an oven proof dish, topped with a bit more grated cheese.

All of this then goes into the oven to bake for about half an hour at about 180 degrees C.